Phoenix Rising  Re Write
by wild-in-spirit
Summary: So much power, so much hate but yet so much caring and self sacrifice. Who is to say everyone on Harry Potter's side LIKED Harry Potter? Maybe there was one who disliked the boy but fought for what she believed in, what her guardian believed in. M for Lan
1. Howler for the Win

**Hey Everyone. Here is my attempt at re-writing Phoenix Rising. So far I am much happier with this story :)  
Nothing recognised is mine, only my Original Character and plot.  
Big Thank You to my wonderful big sister xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx for letting me drag her into being my Beta :D  
Hope you all enjoy the new start!**

To know what was going on inside her the days she received the one letter that was dreaded by all the Wizarding World, was difficult to comprehend. All she knew was that an old tutor of hers needed some support and apparently she was the only person who fitted that category. Standing at around 5'7, Miss Phoenix Kilgour Lupus McGregor would be the first to admit that she was no beaut; but she could get by well enough without the prospects of good looks. Her hair was a dull red, her body was toned but usually covered by Robes, her voice was rough for her appearance and her skin was scarred from battle. She wasn't a prissy girl who was afraid to break a nail if caught up in a fight, she was a warrior, an assassin of the highest calibre; she had seen through worst fights that that was too come although the up-coming war was nothing to pass by. She was an auror to the bitter end and her life was to fight for those who needed protection.

Her stubborn attitude made it seem impossible for anyone to get on with her; she was as bad as Alastor 'Mad-eye' Moody on the best of days seeing as it was either her way or the highway. And unless she was proven wrong then it was foolish to try and change her mind.

It was close to midnight on August 31st, several hours after the Howler had been sent via owl from Professor Minerva McGonagall to Phoenix McGregor; her full name was complicated, but then again, she was a complicated individual. As the clock ticked by a small 'pop' echoed in the surrounding streets outside 12 Grimmauld Place and a sole figure watched as the house magically appeared between numbers 10 and 13. She had only just stepped in through the front door when she was instantly cornered by the very same person who had screamed through the scarlet letter a few hours ago, for not turning up to their supposed appointment. Her excuse? She just simply did not want to go.

"Evening Minerva," Phoenix smiled pleasantly, as if greeting an old friend

McGonagall looked stern "I'm very disappointed in you, Phoenix" she stated, shaking her head in disapproval

"So, there is nothing new then, is there Minerva?" the young auror responded "Now what is so important that you had to drag me away from the first holiday I have had in nearly 5 years"

"We need your help, Phoenix" McGonagall stated

"If it's what I think it is, then you can ask someone else" Phoenix responded "I have already told you no; and I'm not going to change my mind anytime soon" and she turned and headed in the direction of what she believed was the kitchen.

"When have I ever asked you to do something that was not vital?" McGonagall continued, as she followed her former student

Phoenix sighed "It may be vital, but you will need to find someone else." she explained, taking a seat at the kitchen table "You know my feelings of the boy and those are not going to change anytime soon. If you want I will even find someone you will be willing to help you." she summoned a fresh cup of tea to the table with a flick of her wand "Just count me out of this little favour, as you are trying to call it. I won't go back there! And I will not look after a little boy who doesn't want help when it is offered to him."

But McGonagall was desperate "But Phoenix..." she tried to reason

"Not buts," Phoenix shook her head "I will not return to Hogwarts! And I'm not going to watch over that conceited brat who only believes in himself, and is gullible when it comes to trouble"

Sadly, no matter how many times she said no, McGonagall tried to change her mind at every possible turn; the old Transfiguration's professor brought up every possibility, every worst case scenario, everything! But Phoenix would not budge! She was firm and there was no way on Heaven or Earth that she was going to watch over Harry Potter, when the ungrateful little brat didn't want the protection. Why should she put her life on the line for a brat who believed himself better than most Aurors? The same brat that pushed away everyone who ever wanted to help him in his life? She would not be pulled into helping him! There was just no way. They could find someone else, because she refused to be the protector of the Boy Who Lived.

But Phoenix could also understand why; why they wanted her help. She was one of the best in her fields, with knowledge far more prudent that most Aurors her age, some even older. From a very early age she had received training from people that were far more experienced than her required age group, her skills in magic and battle were far more advanced compared to most of the students she had attended school with, at the mere age of 13 she had learned how to transform into an Animagus, and was very fortunate to acquire not just one form, but two. A black wolf and a Phoenix. Very unusual combinations, but very powerful nonetheless. Yet, many witches and wizards frowned upon the fact that she was different, but Phoenix...she took pride in being different, she felt comfortable with her unique abilities and had learned to not be put off by the disadvantages and discouragement of others.

"Phoenix Kilgour Lupus McGregor!" Minerva snapped, using the full name of her student was never a good sign "Harry Potter has been -"

But she never got to finish her sentence for Phoenix had interrupted her "...Harry Potter has been through a lot in his life, things that no child should have to go through." she nodded "Yes, I am well aware of what he has been through Minerva; but the fact remains that he is not the only person in this world who has problems. Voldemort caused tons of trouble when he was around, he destroyed families and who do those families have to turn to for help? Mhmm, that's right, no one! Harry Potter does not realize just how lucky he is to have people behind him, people who care about him and would go to the ends of the Earth for him." she breathed in sharply, "He pushes those who care for him away, just last year he ended his budding relationship with his girlfriend, and yet she still refuses to turn her back on him! He insults and pushes away his best friends and yet they still stand beside him, like the faithful friends that they are..."

She shook her head, glancing down at the swirling depths of her tea

"...I know people who dream to have friends like he does," she mumured "He should be bloody thankful for his friends and yet he wants more?"

Her head snapped up so that she was staring at Minerva "I am not the person you are searching for," she added "The person you want is someone who believes strongly in Harry Potter. Im sorry Minerva, I believe in the cause and what it is we are all fighting for; but I simply do not believe in putting my faith in the hands of a 16-year-old boy who does not respect those around him!" she sighed and stood, before heading for the door "You must find somebody else, im sorry I couldnt be more help"

And with that Phoenix left the room. Once back in the hallway, the young Auror crossed towards the main entrance, but not without passing the stairs leading to upper floors. From the first floor just above her, she could hear the rapid but light whispers and halted in her walk as she glanced back to see two pairs of extendable ears hanging in plain view of the kitchen door, she smirked; she had never been on to pass up the opportunity to teach people a lesson on spying and therefore raised her wand, and fired off a spell watching as it connected with the two ears, and in a mixture of bright colours the ears exploded. There were two shouts from the first floor but Phoenix didn't stick around long enough to find out what the ears belonged too. Instead she crossed the remaining hallway, pulled open the door of Grimmauld Place and disappeared into the night; the smile which had formed on her battle worn face, never moving.


	2. Nothing is Going to be the Same

**Chapter 2**

Two days later and Phoenix was back to her usual routine; exchanging letters with the ministry, getting the information needed to go on raids, being hired by outside individuals as a private assassin for the highest bidder…just the usual things that 21 year old witches do with their lives. Just as she was getting back into the swing of her life she received yet another letter from one Professor Minerva McGonagall. As she picked up the letter Phoenix felt as if she was being tugged through a tiny hole. The next thing she knew she was standing in the Headmistresses office in front of a desperate Minerva.

"Phoenix, I am asking you once again that you attend the school to help, not only to protect Mr Potter but also to protect the school that Albus and every headmaster and headmistress before him has worked so hard to build." Minerva pleaded.

Unfortunately for Phoenix Minerva McGonagall knew exactly how to get to her. Minerva had used the Albus card. He had been Phoenix's tutor and, before his death, her only family. His death had been one of the very few that brought tears to her eyes. Phoenix was far from the crying type as from a young age she had taught herself that if she did not feel emotion she would not get hurt.

"Fine," Phoenix conceded "I will attend classes with Potter but I have some conditions that I expect to happen. One, I am not going to attend as a student Minerva, going through it once was enough for me. I will just be a shadow in the background as I am with every other job I have ever had. Two, I will not be sorted into any house. I am just an outside observer, a neutral force as it were. And three if that boy irritates me in the slightest I have every right to say exactly what needs to be said, even if it means hurting his delicate ego. Are all of those fair under these circumstances Minerva?"

"Yes, but you will have to live in the same house quarters as Harry. Will you keep your name or have an alias?" Minerva questioned.

"My name is fine Minnie, I don't care if they know who I am. Now it is the welcome feast tonight, correct?"

"Yes, come along and you can be introduced after the first years." Minerva stated in a delighted voice.

We slowly made our way down and as Minerva walked into the great hall Phoenix stood outside, leaning against the wall with her hood pulled up over her head to hide her from the prying eyes of curious first years. A few minutes passed before Professor Flitwick came out to collect them all. His face brightened even more when he saw the figure lurking in the background.

"Oh, my dear Phoenix, how lovely it is to see you again." He cried. "Are you here for the reason I think you are?"

"Yes Filius, she guilted me into it by using the Albus card."

"Don't feel that down Phoenix, it will be nice to have you here." He smiled sympathetically at his former student. "Ok, come along everyone. Let's get you sorted into your home away from homes."

After the normal speech, the first years where sorted and it was time for Miss Phoenix Kilgour Lupus McGregor to be introduced to the school. Before she entered the hall she checked that her hood was still in its original place hiding her face from view. When the Headmistress Minerva announced Phoenix's name, she pushed open the great hall doors and walked forward to stand in front of the Headmistress. As she walked past the 'Golden Trio' she felt a sneer spread over her face. This boy was nothing but a pain to everyone around him and it was now her job to protect him from the evil that was spreading over the Wizarding world.

"Where am I to sit during these proceeding Minerva?" Phoenix asked.

"We have a seat at the end of the Gryffindor table, near enough to the students to be able to keep an eye on them but far enough away that you shouldn't be questioned." She replied.

Phoenix nodded before turning on her heals to take the seat that had appeared. Phoenix had yet to lower her hood but had no intention of doing so anytime soon. The people around her did not need to know what she looked like or even what she was doing here. Through lunch she did not touch any food that had appeared on the table before her. She took the time during the dinner to study the school around her, the school that she had only attended during summer when all there was were the teachers and animals of the school to keep her company. Before she knew what was happening the feast had come to its end and she was following all of the Gryffindor students up to their dorms, not being seen by any of them but hearing everything that was said.

"I wonder who that person at the end of the table was." She heard on boy say.

"Do you think it's one of the Aurors?" Another student asked.

"Doubt it, there would have been one at every table but there was only that one" Came the reply.

These questions continued on all the way up to the Gryffindor entrance. Phoenix held back a laugh when one boy announced his theory that she was a death eater. _How stupid must some of these students be to think that Minerva or any other student would allow a death eater to look after their school…well, not counting Severus Snape_ She thought. Before the door closed Phoenix managed to slip through the gap between the portrait and the wall. Staying as hidden as she could she made sure to stay close to her newest charge.

"Who do you think she is Harry?" The red headed boy asked.

"I don't know, Ron. But if Professor McGonagall trusts them we should try to. There are so many Aurors around her I doubt anyone would be stupid enough to try anything." Came the 'Chosen Ones' reply. How wrong he was. Any Death Eater would throw their lives down for their 'Mighty Lord' and that included raiding his precious Hogwarts, Aurors or no Aurors.

"Not everyone is on your side or will hide away Mr Potter." Came her voice from across the room. Everyone turned to face the hooded figure in the corner. "Most who are against you will do whatever asked of them...no questions asked. Even if there is a risk that they will not come out of it alive." Before anyone could ask the figure anything she had already disappeared up the girls' staircase. No one knew how to react to this person; no one had even noticed her follow them up to the common room. They may not have known much at this point but one thing was clear; with a woman as mysterious as Miss Phoenix Kilgour Lupus McGregor walking around the school everyone would be doubting everything that happened…perhaps even each other.


	3. Falling Apart from the Inside

Two days had passed since I had been forced to come back to this school and everyone inside these walls acted exactly like everyone outside; I had been pointed at, whispered about when they thought I couldn't hear, pushed, tripped and gawked at by people who were anything but subtle. Being here was far from my first choice but if this was how I was to help in the war I would. It wasn't until one dreary September morning that my temper raised its ugly head. There is one thing that people should learn about me fast and that is my temper is worse than a female dragon protecting its eggs.

I had been walking into the great hall for breakfast before I went to potions for Potters first lesson of the day. It seemed like the previous mornings that I had had to endure until I heard a scream a head of me. Before I even knew what I was doing I had ran forward to where the commotion was coming from. Around the corner I found Ginny Weasley standing in front of a petrified first year with her wand pointed at the tallest of the 6 male Slytherin students that had surrounded her and the small boy.

"Is there a problem here?" I questioned. All heads turned towards me, none knowing how to react.

A sneer spread across the blonds face and straight away I knew who this ferret of a boy was.

"Nothing that concerns things like you." Came his condescending voice.

"Actually, I think it does. Both of those students that you have found it necessary to gang up on are in the house I have been assigned to. So why don't you and your little…snakes, run along Malfoy."

Before anyone could say anything I had thrown the 6 Slytherin students across the corridor and had a barrier formed between us and them.

"Creatures like you don't belong here McGregor. We all know what you really are so why don't you do what's best for everyone and leave." Malfoy sneered.

I didn't know if he was bluffing or telling the truth but just the chance of someone knowing what I really was, well it was enough to set me off. I felt my whole body light up with fire swirling around me, without even looking in a mirror I know that my eyes had turned black, the ground around me started to crumble with myself rising in the air.

"You don't want to know what I am Malfoy and if you spread anything about it you will wish the devil himself would drag you to hell instead of me getting my hands on you. I may not be like everyone else, boy, but by god I am the scariest thing you will ever meet." I growled towards him, the fire that surrounded me growing larger with each word I spoke. The anger I felt inside of me was rising to the surface and I knew that I had to get this under control before I lost complete control of myself.

"Phoenix, calm yourself." I heard a voice whisper in my ear. It was as if the wind itself was calling out to me but I knew the voice that spoke. It was the voice of my tutor, my family, the only man who stood by me and protected me; it was the voice of the deceased Albus Dumbledore.

Even I knew he was not there next to me but hearing his voice whispering to me reminded me of a time before I became so angry that I locked all emotion away. It was a time that I was happy and I didn't think anything could ever touch me, a time of pure innocents.

I had been happy with my adopted family, as happy as any child of 8 could be.

I remember running into the house holding the teddy bear Albus had bought me. It was one of the many days I had visited Albus. He had saved me from death at the young age of 1 year, had found me a home…and then another one and another one. Every home I went to I was happy in, until the worst happened. But it wasn't until Lizzie and Mark that I changed. My anger and grief consumed me and I…well I became what I am today

**FLASHBACK**  
"Lizzie, Lizzie, look what Dumblydore bought me." I yell, running into the living room. Before I can speak again my voice catches in my throat. I see Lizzie and Mark tied to two separate chairs, blood oozing from the corners of their mouths. I don't know what to do, a scream wants to escape but nothing comes. I feel myself fall to the floor not even realising tears are pouring down my face. Before long I feel arms wrap around me and pick me up, taking me away from the scene that lay before me. But those images never leave my mind. Every time I close my eyes they are there, taunting me, playing with my dreams and my reality.  
_You're all alone; no one will want you now. Silly Phoenix, no one will care about a little girl with no family. Everyone around you dies; you're not even human; you are a creation. You don't belong, you're just a thing. Cry little thing, pretend you're real; but in reality you're not. They should have destroyed you when they had the chance, at least if they had Johnny, Chris, Maggie, Lizzie, Mark and everyone else who has died protecting you would still be alive. It's your entire fault and you know it._  
The voices always taunt me, why should I be allowed to live and feel when they don't. I feel empty now, so I'm ending it. No more tears Phoenix, no more hope; they're all right, I don't deserve to feel anything when all those real people don't. I'm just a thing, and a thing is all I'll ever be.  
**END FLASHBACK**

As I came out of my flash back I saw that it was not just the 9 of us anymore. More students from the hall had joined us as well as the teachers after hearing the commotion. All were gawking at me as if I had grown another head…or just had a fire surrounding me and cased the ground to crumble away below my feet. No one moved so I did the only thing I knew how to do; I ran. I ran until there was no were else to run. Before I knew what was happening I had run into the Forbidden Forest and fallen to my knees in front of a small lake. I didn't know what came over me but I screamed. I screamed so loudly that birds flew up from the trees darkening the skies above me. My scream carried across the lake and through the darkened and haunted woods. I felt like my soul was ripping apart inside of me. I needed to get myself under control but I couldn't bring myself to do so. I had lost the only people who had ever cared about me; I didn't care if this pulled me apart and destroyed me. I just wanted to stop feeling, wanted to stop mourning the loss of everyone who had died.

"Who am I?" I heard myself whisper. The wind carried away my painful words.

I glanced down at my reflection in the water in front of me; I could have sworn I saw the reflection shake its head in disgust at what I had become. It was time to become what I was meant to be; what I was created to be. No longer would I hide away like a scared little girl, I was going to do one last thing before I imploded on myself, I was going to end this war.


	4. The Monster Inside

_as usually, i dont own anything but Phoenix :D and most of the story line haha_  
_thank you so much to my adopted big sister Kara for betaing this story, feels good to have her backing me up through it :)  
Now on with the story :)  
_

**Chapter 4**

As she walked back through the forest she heard whispers surround her, the trees themselves seemed to part before her. She could feel the eyes of the animals of the forest staring through gaps to catch a glimpse of this creature that disturbed their rest, the creature that gave off so much power that even a glimpse of it made their hearts soar with hope. As she got closer to the edge of the wood she paused for a moment to glance behind her and smile a gentle smile at the beings that had snuck out to stare at her. She may not get a chance to see this place again so she would spare as much kindness as possible to those that deserved it. As she went to step out of the woods pain seared through her body, she could feel her very essence being torn apart inside of her; it was all moving to fast. The binding spells were crumbling with each passing second; how she was meant to stop the world from crumbling if she herself was crumbling she did not know. With each stab of pain that coursed through her flickers of fire spread across her body for everyone to see. The animals which had snuck out to catch a glimpse of the creature now ran in opposite directions; this was not the hope that had glided passed them a few seconds before this was a whole new creature…this creature seemed to ooze pure evil and hate. A scream ripped through her and as it was released from the confines of her lungs the woods echoed with pain and anguish. She would not let this…this thing be release. She would rather let the creature that was trapped and bound to her very soul destroy her than let it take over and be set free on the unsuspecting people of this world. Phoenix may not have been the kindest or most friendly individual but she would let no one damage the world in the way this thing wanted to.

_I told you this would happen Phoenix, you're weak and you always have been. You can't control me, I'm a pure monster and monsters always get their way. Let me out Phoenix, let me show them why they should not doubt you, let me put them in their place like they deserve._

The cruel voice sneered from inside my head, pushing its way through my conscience to try and seep through and win over my body.

"I won't let you out, I will rather have you kill me than let you out. They may not always listen to me, or care for my opinion but I would never let harm come to any of them. Destroy me but I am not a monster, I am not invisible, I am someone to somebody out there even if I have not met them yet."

As soon as Phoenix had said these words the pain passed, the creature that was inside of her had gone back into hiding, it had felt the resolve that had spread through her body and had gone into hiding. She had finally done it, she had beaten down the monster inside of her; it may not last forever but it would last long enough for her to finish the task at hand. It would give her to time to help The Order win. There may be casualties on both sides but Phoenix would make sure that there were less casualties on her side…while the other side was wiped out from the face of this earth.


End file.
